Do you use a Tablet?

[SmartEd]

I don't have a drawing tablet I’m thinking about it, I know a lot of people use them, so this thread is a bit of a survey/discussion on the pro's and con's of using them and what the best tablets on the market, etc.

[steve.ledger]

This has been discussed before a few times, also a Poll was run a couple years back here:
http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthread.php?t=25649

[SmartEd]

Thx Sledger, I didn’t see you on that thread, do you have an opinion on this?

[handrawn]

can you draw freehand - or wish to learn?

if not, a mouse may be all you need...

[steve.ledger]

Thx Sledger, I didn’t see you on that thread, do you have an opinion on this?

Not a great deal of one.

I had a WACOM Graphire 5 first, but the slippery surface ended up really bugging me, though a sheet of copy paper sat on top of it helped.

I managed to sell it off to someone who really wanted one then later when the Bamboo was launched I bought some for stock, curiosuity led me to open one and try it out. Was a major improvement so I kept one.
I use it occasionally, but to be honest I do much better with most things using a mouse.

It serves a secondary purpose as a demo to sell stock

[Soquili]

I have had a Wacom Graphire tablet for several years but rarely use it.

It does not have the feel of working with pencil or pen and ink. A mouse gives me better control when drawing using software.

[JonH27]

Hi SmartEd

I guess it's down to personal preference, but unlike sledger I wouldn't want to contemplate using Xtreme (or indeed pretty well any software) without a tablet. In fact I use one just for purely "Windows" stuff and rarely touch a mouse. Over the last 10 years I've used a range of Wacoms (currently a Sapphire at work, Graphire at home) which have all been faultless despite being the cheapest/smallest in the Wacom range. Helps avoid risk of RSI (compared to using a mouse) in my experience, also.

I originally thought that the small size of the active area (around A6 size) would be a limitation but I've honestly never been stuck because of this.

Jon

[SmartEd]

That's really interesting, I think I need to borrow one or get a cheapy and see how I get on with it.

[steve.ledger]

Yeh, borrowing a good one is a fine idea.
Buying a cheapy is a bad idea.

[BONES]

I used to absolutely hate tablets because I always had to work with a huge one, which left no space for a keyboard, which over time did my back in. I've not been forced to use one for ages, so my attitude has softened somewhat, but being addicted to all three mouse buttons, I still don't have a use for one. I also find these days that I can draw pretty much just as well with a mouse now as I can with a pen, not that I ever have to draw anything.